#919toMLS

A major league sports team in downtown Raleigh? Maybe it isn’t as out of reach as many of us have thought it was. Is Major League Soccer interested in Raleigh? We’ll find out soon. From the look of things Raleigh is definitely interested in MLS. The North Carolina Football Club (NCFC formally the Carolina Railhawks) is leading the charge with a visit from the league and an announcement of a plan for a very modern downtown stadium complex.

“This is another important step in our pursuit of a Major League Soccer Franchise,” said North Carolina Football Club Owner, Steve Malik. “Our vision is to make this facility a crown jewel for downtown Raleigh, providing a world-class sporting and social experience for fans and the community. We are ready to engage all of the relevant constituents, including our community members, legislators, city, county and state officials, to address questions and concerns and bring this vision to life.”

I am optimistic that this could be a great step forward for Raleigh and MLS or not I hope the city moves forward with the stadium. A downtown stadium would be awesome and continue the efforts to revitalize and grow our urban footprint. At this point all we can do is hope and wait. Follow the effort on social with the hashtag #919toMLS. Let’s do this Raleigh!